The All Nagaland Taxi Association (ANTA) Wokha Unit demonstrated a strong sense of social responsibility as it observed its Raising Day-cum-Annual Picnic on Tuesday at My Resort, Tzuza Eru, Pangti. This year, the event carried a stronger message of community responsibility as members spent two days clearing plastic and other waste from the Doyang area.
Organised by the Sungro Range Taxi Owners and Drivers, the gathering brought together drivers, owners and their families for a simple celebration mixed with a practical effort to restore the surroundings. The clean-up began on November 17 and continued into the following day, with around 130 members taking part.
Speaking with media persons, T Renbemo Kikon, President of ANTA Wokha Unit said the unit decided to shift its focus this year towards creating awareness on cleanliness.
“We are here to celebrate the foundation day of the All Nagaland Taxi Association, but we especially wanted to highlight the importance of this clean-up,” he said. “We have all seen how much plastic, rubber and other waste have been piling up here in Doyang. Our purpose was to celebrate, but to also do our part in clearing whatever we could.”
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He added that the amount of waste collected over the two days is “discouraging” to witness. He further shared that this effort is only a beginning: “From today onwards, we’ll be encouraging our taxi counters and even our villages to keep our surroundings clean and to dispose of waste properly, instead of throwing it anywhere.”
Lipenthung Ovung, General Secretary of the unit also remarked that keeping the river clean is a shared responsibility. He noted that resort owners and villagers in the area have already placed waste bins, and urged visitors to make proper use of them.
“It is everyone’s responsibility whether from Wokha or any other district to keep Doyang clean,” he said. He also appealed to the government to step in with better waste management measures. “If our association could collect this much waste in just two days, I am certain the government can do much more. We request the authorities to come up with a plan, especially for recycling and waste management,” he said.
Alongside the clean-up, the day featured a few light-hearted activities, including a lucky draw, traditional tug-of-war and live music, bringing members together in a spirit of camaraderie after the morning’s environmental effort.
